Rattled by the aggressive campaign launched by the Congress in Firozabad Lok Sabha bypoll, the Samajwadi Party has joined hands with its erstwhile ally Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal.

The SP is concentrating on the consolidation of the OBC (Yadav-Lodha-Jat) combine, with former BJP leader Kalayan Singh also separately campaigning for its candidate.

The party has also roped in film stars from Mumbai. Sanjay Dutt, Jaya Bachchan and Jaya Prada have been asked by the party to descend on Firozabad on November 3. They will camp there till the end of campaigning on November 5.

Former Samajwadi Party MP Raj Babbar, who is the Congress candidate, got a shot in the arm when AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi campaigned in Firozabad on October 30. Haryana Chief Minister and Jat leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda will campaign on November 2. Besides, a number of Union ministers and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh have also campaigned for the Congress candidate.

Confirming his party’s revival of ties with the RLD, Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chowdhary said, “Jayant Chowdhary, the RLD MP from Mathura and son of Ajit Singh, will campaign in favour of our candidate Dimple Yadav on November 4. The RLD chief is also likely to a pay a visit.”

The decision to rope in the RLD leader for campaigning was prompted by the Congress plans to draft Hooda, who will address election meetings in Tundla Assembly segment, which has a sizeable chunk of Jat votes.

The Samajwadi Party led the government in UP from August 2003 to May 2007 and was supported by the RLD, which broke ranks ahead of the 2007 UP Assembly elections.

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